I agree that the 401 Freeway north of Toronto is pretty serious stuff. Seeing 6+ lanes of stopped traffic leaves an impression. Still, my experience is that SV traffic is far worse.
The biggest difference is that Toronto traffic is still directional. I worked with a lot of clients in the Scarbourgh area (northern suburb), and have occasionally stayed in downtown Toronto hotels. There is almost no traffic in the reverese direction (20 minutes vs. 60 minutes for 15 miles). The SV area has not had traffic patternes like that since the 70's.
Even worse, occasionally the SV traffic is worse than LA area traffic. The 680 corridor (filled with commuters from the cheaper central valley) has become the worse freeway in the area. The problem is that it is pretty much the only way to get into the valley from that direction.
A recent arrival from Boston (yes, I live and work in "Silicon Valley") said the primary difference in prices was not the "desirable" area. The difference is that nearby housing is much, much cheaper. If you are willing to drive 60 minutes from Boston, you can get houses for 1/3 to 1/2 the cost. In Silicon Valley, you have to drive 2-3 hours to get that kind of price break (central valley locations mostly: Los Banos, Tracey, etc.). These times are approximate, include moderate traffic and good avoidance procedures (like leaving at 5AM).
I've been thinking about doing this to deal with the DVD copy-protection fiasco. There was no EULA saying they are taking away your fair use rights. Seems like a valid suit to me.
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Does anybody know Mr. Nader's position on copyright law? Take a look at www.cpt.org for a clue; Ralph Nader was a founder of the organization.
The biggest difference is that Toronto traffic is still directional. I worked with a lot of clients in the Scarbourgh area (northern suburb), and have occasionally stayed in downtown Toronto hotels. There is almost no traffic in the reverese direction (20 minutes vs. 60 minutes for 15 miles). The SV area has not had traffic patternes like that since the 70's.
Even worse, occasionally the SV traffic is worse than LA area traffic. The 680 corridor (filled with commuters from the cheaper central valley) has become the worse freeway in the area. The problem is that it is pretty much the only way to get into the valley from that direction.
A recent arrival from Boston (yes, I live and work in "Silicon Valley") said the primary difference in prices was not the "desirable" area. The difference is that nearby housing is much, much cheaper. If you are willing to drive 60 minutes from Boston, you can get houses for 1/3 to 1/2 the cost. In Silicon Valley, you have to drive 2-3 hours to get that kind of price break (central valley locations mostly: Los Banos, Tracey, etc.). These times are approximate, include moderate traffic and good avoidance procedures (like leaving at 5AM).
I've been thinking about doing this to deal with the DVD copy-protection fiasco. There was no EULA saying they are taking away your fair use rights. Seems like a valid suit to me.